A quantity is congruent (equal) to itself. Which property states that?

• A. Symmetric Property
• B. Reflexive Property
• C. Transitive Property
• D. Addition Property

Answer: (B)

Equality in algebra rests on a fundamental rule: any quantity is equal to itself. This rule is known as the reflexive property. It means that for any quantity a, we have a = a. This idea is foundational for building equations and proving statements, and it also aligns with geometry where a figure or segment is congruent to itself. The other properties describe different aspects of equality: symmetric says if a = b then b = a, transitive says if a = b and b = c then a = c, and the addition property says adding the same value to both sides preserves equality. None of those express the idea that something is equal to itself, which is precisely the reflexive property.